Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck

Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri

Early and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens

TUCKER-FERGUSON WAREHOUSE & TRANSFER COMPANY. One of the thriving business firms of Springfield which is worthy of specific mention in this volume is the Tucker-Ferguson Warehouse and Transfer Company. They maintain three large warehouses, located as follow: Office building, a one-story concrete building with 30,000 square feet of floor space, at 666 East Chestnut street; a three-story brick building, corner Summit and Chestnut streets. It is equipped with electric elevator, containing 400,000 square feet; a three-story brick building, corner Phelps avenue and Grant street, containing 300,000 square feet of floor space, with electric elevator. There is five hundred feet of private trackage, and there is also a large barn for live stock, accommodating twenty-five head of draft horses. The company operates three solid, enclosed, padded moving vans, and all household goods is guaranteed not to be soiled by bad weather, dust or scratched in transit. Three stake wagons, are also kept for freighting and ordinary moving; also two curtain vans for household goods, other equipment, such as floats, trunk and delivery wagons and a special wagon for safes and heavy hauling. Eighteen experienced, skilled and reliable men and drivers are constantly employed, and prompt and first-class service is the aim of the firm at all times. Special carload consignments are given prompt attention, and they handle about four hundred carloads annually. Household goods are packed for shipment by experts. Their slogan, "The quality service merchants of Springfield."

The firm was incorporated in 1909, for twenty-thousand dollars, fully paid up. E. G. Tucker, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, is president and manager, and E. A. McKay is secretary and treasurer. Some estimate of the reliability and efficient management of the firm may be obtained by the mention of the fact that one sugar company alone entrusts them with $500,000 of sugar for storage and distribution.

Elmer Alexander McKay was born in Knox county, Missouri, July 25, 1881.He is a son of. James G. and Clara J. (Bryson) McKay. The father was born in Lafayette county, Indiana, May 13, 1845, and when fourteen years of age came with his parents to Knox county, Missouri, where he followed farming for nearly forty years, and at this writing he is president of the Home Bank in Knox, Missouri, and is one of the prominent citizens of Knox county. Politically he is a Republican. He belongs to the Presbyterian church and is a member Of the Knights of Pythias. Clara J. Bryson, mother of E. A. McKay, was born in Knox county, this state, October 28, 1858, and there grew to womanhood, received her education, and, in fact, has lived there all her life.

Elmer A. McKay was reared in his native community and obtained a good education; he was graduated from the Knox high school in 1895, from the Kirksville State Normal in 1901,and from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1906. After leaving the university he took a position in the Home Bank at Knox, where he remained until in June, 1911,when he came to Springfield and bought an interest in the Tucker-Ferguson Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer, and the large success of the same has been due in no small measure to his industry and foresight.

Mr. McKay was married on June 20, 1907, to Mary Asbury, who was born in Farmington, Missouri, February 12, 1883, and there grew to womanhood and received her education at Elmwood Seminary and University of Missouri . Mrs. McKay is, a member of the Saturday Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and state treasurer of the Missouri Parent-Teachers' Association.

To Mr. and Mrs. McKay one child has been born, James Asbury Mc-Kay, whose birth occurred September 14, 1912.

Politically Mr.McKay is a Republican. He belongs to the Presbyterian church, and fraternally is well known in Masonic circles, being a member of Edina Lodge No. 219,Free and Accepted Masons, at Edina, Missouri; Edina Chapter No. 61,Royal Arch Masons, also at Edina; and Zabud Council, Royal and Select Masters. He is a member of